Implications of public understanding of avian influenza for fostering effective risk communication.
Avian influenza has three of the four properties necessary to cause a pandemic. However, are we as individuals and communities prepared for a pandemic flu in the United States? To help answer this question, 12 focus groups (N = 60) were conducted in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to determine the level of awareness of avian and pandemic flu for the county health department to develop effective communication messages. The overall findings indicate that the general Tulsa public lacks information about avian influenza or pandemics, does not believe a pandemic will occur, and believes if one does occur the government will take care of it. Finally, the groups agreed that education would be the key to preventing widespread panic if a pandemic occurred. Five themes emerged: confusion about terminology, seriousness of avian influenza, disaster fatigue, appropriate precautions, and credibility of health information. Each should be considered in developing effective risk communication messages.
Elledge
Brenda L
BL
College of Allied Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104, USA. Brenda-elledge@ouhsc.edu
Brand
Michael
M
Regens
James L
JL
Boatright
Daniel T
DT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods*; D018672:Community Health Planning; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D009825:Oklahoma / Q000453:epidemiology